It's Sergei!!!

This week was our district conference here in Odessa, it is like stake conference. We had a  broadcast from Salt Lake City. President Uchtdor presided, Elder Oaks, Elder Clayton, and Sister Barbara Thompson spoke. It was a good meeting they encouraged the members to work with the less actives and to go to the temple and not to settle for less than a temple marriage. It was cool; Saturday we had local leaders speak. Sergei, the guy that got baptized in my first area was there. I talked to him and he is doing great. He is planning on going to the temple in April to get sealed to his family. Yesterday he received the Melchizedek Priesthood.  It was so cool to be there and hear his name announced and to have the opportunity to sustain. I didn't get to see him get ordained but it makes me so happy to see him progressing. It was nice seeing all of the people from my old area and actually to be able to talk with them.  I love them yesterday was a really good day and I think it was one of the reasons I needed to stay in Odessa this transfer.

Service

We are doing service at a grandma’s house in our branch.

We are putting a bunch of rock down so she can make a sidewalk by pouring cement over it.

Elder Hilton

Running

This is a  field I use to run around in the morning near our apartment

Illichivsk

I went on exchanges with an Elder in another district. His name is Elder Quinn and he is from Chicago. It was a lot of fun; I was in his area, which is a little city just south of Odessa called Illichivsk. It is the most southern area in our mission and it is where Elder Newsome, my MTC companion, started his mission. I was there from Thursday to Saturday.  We had a lot of fun talking to everyone, for some reason when I was there I just felt an overwhelming love for all of the people here. We taught quite a few people right on the street it is really neat to just look someone in the eye and tell them that God and Jesus Christ love us and that the Book of Mormon is evidence of that love. Also that Christ appeared to the people in America. It neat to see the change that happens to people you can see it in their face. On the exchange I made it a  personal goal to walk away from every contact happy and not upset or anything and I am happy to report that I accomplished that goal and it felt amazing.

The sun rising from the window in the Elders apartment in Illichivsk

This is a joke with Elder Newsome,  this place is near the elder's apartment and they  blast music all night ever night!!

No this is not "Odessa" the rat it is a  chinchilla that some member has for a pet!

Halloween Party

Halloween is not celebrated in Ukraine so the missionaries planned a  Halloween party for three of the branches in Odessa to show them what it was about. It was a lot of fun we craved pumpkins ,Elder Hilton and I  won the scariest jack o lantern award, we had mummy races and a pinata. 

We bought 40 rolls of toilet paper for the party, and no we were not planning on being party poopers!!!

Let the mummy races begin!

I Am Staying In Odessa

So I will be staying in my area for another transfer......that means 5 transfers (6 months). That is a long time, I have never heard of anyone staying in an area for 5 transfers straight. But I guess that there is a first for everything.  So Elder Hilton and I will be together for a third.    I have a really good companion Elder Hilton is great.   We are good friends and he is really caring. His parents did a really good job raising him.

Zone

These are the GREAT missionaries in my zone in Odessa

More Fall Pictures

Odessa is beautiful in the fall.

Shapka

My Russian Face

My American Face

Look I grew ears!!!!!!

The hat it is made from a red fox

I bought a fox shapka (a fur hat) at the 7 K Market, I am ready to take on the COLD winter!!!!

Grapevines

A lot of Ukrainians in Odessa have grape vines

Elder Hilton

Picking and Eating Grapes!!!